Vehicle wash system with pivoting side brushes and method for avoiding vehicle side mirrors

ABSTRACT

A vehicle wash system includes a vehicle treatment area and an overhead frame portion supporting a pair of side brushes. The side brushes are configured to treat the lateral sides of the vehicle and may also treat the front and back of the vehicle. The side brushes are configured to pivot between a vertical position and an outwardly angled position, in which the side brushes are generally aligned with the side glass of the vehicle windows. The side brushes may travel along the side of the vehicle in both the vertical and pivoted orientations. The side brushes may make multiple passes along the side of the vehicle, and the side brushes may change orientation during or between passes to treat different segments of the vehicle. The side brushes may be pivoted at a side mirror location of the vehicle.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of previously filed U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/596,005, filed Dec. 7, 2017, titled “AnImproved Rollover Vehicle Wash System,” the entire contents of which ishereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

This application is related to co-filed United States patentapplications, filed Dec. 7, 2018, with reference made to the TITLE andAttorney Docket Number, including: VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM HAVING AVERTICALLY OPERATED TOP BRUSH WITH PIVOTING ABILITY, Ser. No.16/213,675; VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM HAVING A VERTICALLY OPERATED TOP BRUSHWITH COLLAPSIBLE GUIDE TRACK SYSTEM, Ser. No. 16/213,605; VEHICLE WASHSYSTEM WITH SIDE BRUSHES HAVING TWO OR MORE AXIAL ORIENTATIONS, Ser. No.16/213,968; VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM WITH SIDE BRUSHES HAVING THREE OR MOREAXIAL ORIENTATIONS, Ser. No. 16/213,974; VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM HAVING AVERTICALLY OPERATED TOP BRUSH WITH A SCISSOR SUPPORT MECHANISM, Ser. No.16/213,733; VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM WITH PIVOTING SIDE BRUSHES AND METHODFOR AVOIDING VEHICLE ANTENNA, Ser. No. 16/213,983; VEHICLE WASH SYSTEMHAVING A MULTI-SPEED CAR WASH BRUSH, Ser. No. 16/214,005, and the entirecontents of each of the above listed co-filed applications is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a vehicle wash system forcleaning an exterior surface of a vehicle. More specifically, thepresent disclosure relates to a vehicle wash system that includespivoting side brushes and a method for avoiding vehicle side mirrorsduring cleaning.

BACKGROUND

Vehicle wash systems are in common use to clean passenger vehicles suchas automobiles. These vehicle wash systems may include a number ofwashing components that can be used to clean different sections of thevehicle. For example, wash systems may include a top brush that cleansthe top surfaces of the vehicle and side brushes that clean the sidesurfaces of the vehicle. The top brush is typically raised and loweredrelative to the vehicle to clean the varying heights inherent in the topsurfaces of vehicles. The top brush may also be moved fore-and-aft totravel along the length of the vehicle, or the vehicle may be conveyedpast the top brush to cover the length of the vehicle. The side brushes,similar to the top brush, may be translated fore-and-aft relative to thevehicle to cover the length of the vehicle, either by translating thebrush relative to stationary vehicle, or conveying the vehicle paststationary brushes.

Traditional side brushes may be disposed on ground engaged rails andextend vertically from the rails, and may travel forward and rearwardalong the side surface of the vehicle to clean the side of the vehiclewhile rotating about a vertical axis. The side surfaces of vehicles aretypically curved in a convex manner, with the side window glass beingtilted inward from a middle portion of the body away from the componentframe. Similarly, the rocker panels of the vehicle may tilt inwardly atthe bottom of the vehicle toward the component frame. Accordingly, avertical cylindrical shaped brush may be ineffective in cleaning each ofthese surfaces. In this approach, the brush may not adequately contactand impact the angled top and bottom portions when the middle portion ofthe side surface is being properly cleaned. If the brush is moved inwardto more effectively contact the angled upper and lower portions, themiddle portion may be impacted with too much force, which could damagethe surface finish or lead to an undesirable increase in noise.

One solution to treat the angled side surfaces of the vehicle is to useside brushes that have a contoured and non-cylindrical profile thattends to correspond to the typical vehicle profile. The brushes may haveenlarged diameters at the top and the bottom of the brush, such thatthey will reach the upper and lower portions. However, these brushes arenot specifically tailored to the vehicles, which can lead to an unevenwash. Moreover, the larger diameters result in a greater surface feetper minute contact with the brush at the upper and lower portions,causing a greater impact force on the top and bottom of the vehicle,leading to undesirable increases in noise and potential damage to thevehicle.

Additionally, the increased diameter of the upper portion may extendover the hood or the rear of the vehicle while the middle portion iscleaning the fender areas. Accordingly, the larger diameter portion ofthe brush may contact the vehicle antenna and damage the vehicleantenna.

Another problem with vertical side brushes includes the potential forthe rigid hub of the side brushes to interfere with the vehicle sidemirrors when cleaning the side surface of the vehicle. The was mediaelements that extend from the hub must be brought into engagement withthe side surfaces of the vehicle, thereby bringing the hub close to theprotruding side mirrors in order for the wash media to reach the sidesurfaces that are located inboard of the side mirror extension.

In view of the above, there is a need for an improved vehicle washsystem.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

It is therefore an aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehiclewash system with improved cleaning of the side surfaces of differentvehicle types.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle washsystem with improved cleaning abilities.

It is another aspect of the present disclosure to provide a vehicle washsystem that reduces damage to vehicle side mirrors.

According to the above and other aspects, a vehicle washing system isprovided. The vehicle wash system includes a side brush disposedadjacent a vehicle treatment area, the vehicle treatment area having avertical height, a longitudinal length, and a lateral width andconfigured to receive a vehicle to be washed. The side brush defines acentral axis about which the side brush rotates, the central axisextending between a top end and a bottom end of the side brush. A brushshaft extends along the central axis and supports the side brush,wherein the orientation of the brush shaft controls the orientation ofthe side brush. The brush shaft is pivotable between at least twopositions including a first position, wherein the brush shaft isoriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal length of the vehicletreatment area, and a second position, wherein the brush shaft isoriented at an oblique angle relative to the first position. A controlsystem is in communication with the brush shaft to effect movementthereof between the first position and the second position in responseto a configuration of the vehicle. The configuration of the vehicleincludes a side mirror location, wherein the brush shaft pivots to thesecond position at the side mirror location.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects of the present disclosure will be readily appreciated, asthe same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a vehicle wash system having an overhead railstructure and a frame supported on the rail structure, with the framesupporting side brushes extending downward;

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a vehicle for being washed in thevehicle wash system;

FIG. 3 illustrates a view of a prior art vehicle wash system having acontoured side brush with enlarged upper and lower diameters;

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the wash system, including a topbrush oriented horizontally and a pair of side brushes orientedvertically in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of the wash system, with the top brushremoved in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the side brushes with both of thebrushes being pivoted inwardly in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a front view of the side brushes with both of thebrushes being pivoted outwardly in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates one side brush with three different positions andanother side brush oriented vertically in accordance with an aspect ofthe present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates one side brush pivoted outward and with an actuatoractuated and the other side brush oriented vertically with an actuatorin a nominal position in accordance with an aspect of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 10 illustrates a single side brush and a three-position actuator inaccordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 illustrates the actuator in a nominal position in accordancewith an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 12 illustrates the actuator in an inwardly pivoted position inaccordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 13 illustrates the actuator in an outwardly pivoted position inaccordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 illustrates a side brush in a pivoted position that isself-adjusting in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 15 illustrates a side brush in another pivoted position that isself-adjusting in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 illustrates the side brushes in an outwardly pivoted position toincrease visibility during vehicle pull-through in accordance with anaspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 17 illustrates a front view of a vehicle with an antenna mounted ina front fender area;

FIG. 18 illustrates a side view of the vehicle of FIG. 17;

FIG. 19 illustrates a side view of another vehicle with an antennamounted to a rear quarter panel;

FIG. 20 illustrates a front view of a pair of side brushes, with one ofthe side brushes oriented vertically to avoid the antenna and another ofthe side brushes pivoted to contact the side windows of the vehicle inaccordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 21 illustrates a top view of the system with the side brushestraveling along the side of a vehicle and moving between pivoted andvertical orientations during translation to treat different segments ofthe vehicle in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 22 illustrates a top view of the system with the side brushestraveling along the side of another vehicle and moving between pivotedand vertical orientations during translation to treat different segmentsof the vehicle in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 23 illustrates a front view of the system with the side brushesoriented vertically and illustrating a potential interference between ahub of the side brushes and side mirrors of the vehicle;

FIG. 24 illustrates a front view of the system with the side brushesshifted outward and pivoted inward to provide clearance from the sidemirrors in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure;

FIG. 25 illustrates a top view of the system illustrating the sidebrushes passing along the sides of the vehicle with the side brushesshifted outward and pivoted inward in accordance with an aspect of thepresent disclosure;

FIG. 26 illustrates a top view of the system illustrating the sidebrushes passing along the sides of the vehicle with the side brushesoriented vertically, then shifted inward and pivoted outward, and thenmoved outwardly in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle wash system, which may beconfigured as a rollover type system where the vehicle remainsstationary and the various treatment components may be translated and/ormoved with respect to the vehicle to perform the vehicle wash process.As is known to one of ordinary skill in the art, a rollover wash systemcarries various components that treat a vehicle in a predeterminedsequence as the rollover wash system makes passes over the length of avehicle. It will be appreciated that various aspects, components, orportions of the disclosed vehicle wash system may be utilized oremployed as part of a conveyor wash system where a vehicle is conveyedpast stationary wash components to treat the vehicle exterior as ittravels through the wash facility. It will be appreciated that thevarious aspects, components, or portions of the disclosed vehicle washsystem may be employed in connection with a variety of otherapplications outside of a rollover or conveyor vehicle wash system, suchas a manual wash or self-service wash process.

With reference to FIG. 1, according to an aspect, the disclosed vehiclewash system 10 includes a vehicle treatment area 12 where a vehicle 14is to be positioned in a vehicle wash for treatment thereof. As shown,the wash system 10 can include a frame 16 disposed adjacent the vehicletreatment area 12. According to an aspect, the frame 16 may be supportedon an overhead rail system 18 such that the frame 16 may reciprocateforwardly and rearwardly on the overhead rail system 18 in order totravel over the length of the vehicle treatment area 12 and the vehicle14 therein. According to one aspect, the frame 16 does not travel onground engaging rails. The frame 16 may also support a plurality oftreatment components configured to treat an exterior surface of thevehicle 14. According to an aspect as shown in the Figures, the frame 16may support a top brush 20 (FIG. 4) oriented generally horizontal to theground and extending laterally across the vehicle treatment area 12 anddisposed for treatment of an upper surface of the vehicle 14. The frame16 may also support a pair of side brushes 22, 24 configured to travelalong and treat either side of a vehicle 14 in the vehicle treatmentarea 12. The pair of side brushes 22, 24 can be oriented generallyperpendicular to the ground, and may be pivoted or cantedinwardly/outward to treat different segments of the vehicle 14, asfurther described below.

The frame 16 may carry a variety of other or different treatmentcomponents, such as foam nozzles and fluid nozzles, which can emit foamor high pressure fluid onto both the top and sides of the vehicle 14 inthe vehicle treatment area 12. It will further be appreciated that theframe 16 may carry or support a variety of other or different vehicletreatment components. The frame 16 may also have a variety of differentconfigurations and may be supported in a variety of suitable ways. Thefoam nozzles and the fluid nozzles, and other vehicle treatmentcomponents attached to the frame 16 may have a variety of differentconfigurations.

According to an aspect, the disclosed vehicle wash system 10 can provideimproved cleaning capabilities without yielding a significant increasein the time of the wash process. According to a further aspect, thedisclosed vehicle wash system 10 can provide a decrease in the timerequired to effectuate a vehicle wash process as compared to priorrollover wash systems. The vehicle wash system 10 can include a controlsystem 30 that is in communication with the frame 16 and the variouswash components to effectuate the vehicle cleaning process. According toan aspect, the control system 30 can include an electronic motorcontroller, a programmable logic controller and a communication networkon which all of the components can communicate. According to anotheraspect, the communication network may be an Ethernet network or awireless network. It will be appreciated that the control system 30 caninclude a variety of other components. The control system 30 can thusallow the various components on the system to talk to one another. Thecontrol system 30 can also allow for the generation of e-mails and othernotifications that can be delivered, including to the operator of thevehicle wash, such as to advise of any faults with the system.

According to a further aspect, the system as an initial step maydetermine a profile of the vehicle 14 in the vehicle treatment area 12to be washed. It will be appreciated that this profiling of the geometryof the vehicle 14 may be accomplished in a variety of ways, including byemploying a variety of sensors or other detection devices. According toan aspect, the geometric profiling may be accomplished in an initialpass of the frame 16 over the vehicle 14. It will also be appreciatedthat the geometric profiling can be accomplished in a variety ofdifferent ways or by multiple passes of the frame 16 over the vehicle14. According to a further aspect, the geometric profiling can beaccomplished when the vehicle 14 enters the vehicle wash facility or thevehicle treatment area to eliminate a preliminary mapping or profilingpass of the frame.

According to an aspect, once the vehicle exterior has been mapped by thecontrol system 30, it can use this information to dynamically increasethe travel speed of the frame 16 along the overhead rail system 18 asappropriate to speed up the wash process. With a roll over wash system,speed of the process is important as, the shorter the wash process, themore processes that can be completed in a given day, which means morerevenue for a wash operator.

According to an aspect, with the mapped vehicle exterior, the controlsystem 30 can divide the vehicle into individual segments and then canadjust the position of the top brush 20 and its travel speed asdisclosed in more detail in Applicant's concurrently filed patentapplication entitled “VEHICLE WASH SYSTEM HAVING A MULTI-SPEED CAR WASHBRUSH”, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though set forthfully herein. According to an aspect, the control system 30 can vary oradjust the rotational speed of the brushes 22, 24 based on theirlocation with respect to certain vehicle segments. Thus, the linearmovement speed of the components and their rotational speed can bedynamically varied depending upon vehicle geometry and other factors. Itwill also be appreciated that different types of vehicles can havedifferent segments. Exemplary segments can include the following: (i)front fender, (ii) upper glass area; (iii) mid-section area; (iv) rockerarea; (v) rear fender; (vi) rear bumper; (vii) rear glass; (viii) frontbumper. The control system 30 can obviously take into account a varietyof other segments, and can further detected other vehicle geometry suchas side mirrors, antennas, ornamentation, or other protruding vehicleelements, which can be avoided during certain passes of the sidebrushes, 22, 24 if desired.

According to an aspect, and with reference to FIG. 11, each of the sidebrushes 22, 24 can include a hub portion 32 and a plurality of washmedia elements 34 disposed around and in communication with the hubportion 32. Each hub portion 32 may be in communication with a driveaxle 36 that is secured to or otherwise coupled to the hub portion 32 toeffect rotation thereof. Preferably, the plurality of wash mediaelements 34 are coupled to or secured to the hub portion 32. The driveaxle 36 may be in communication with a power source such as a motor 38.It will be appreciated that a variety of suitable power sources may beemployed to effect rotation of the side brushes 22, 24. According to anaspect, the wash media elements 34 may be constructed of an EVA foam andmay be generally self-supporting along their length. An exemplary mediaelement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,990,993, which is owned by theAssignee of the present application. It will be appreciated that thewash media elements may have a variety of different shapes andconfigurations and may be constructed from a variety of differentmaterials.

According to an aspect, the power source 38 for each side brush 22, 24may be in communication with a motor controller, which is incommunication with the control system 30. The drive axle 36 can definean axis of rotation and each side brush 22, 24 may be actuated such thatthe orientation of the axis of rotation of each drive axle 36 may varyas dictated by the control system 30. According to an aspect, the driveaxle 36 may be pivoted generally between different discrete positions.In a neutral position, shown in FIGS. 4 and 11, the drive axle 36 may beoriented such that the axis of rotation is generally perpendicular tothe ground.

In an outwardly canted position, shown in FIGS. 7 and 13, the drive axle36 may be oriented or tilted such that the axis of rotation is angledoutwardly whereby a lower end 40 of the drive axle 36 is disposedfurther outwardly from the vehicle treatment area 12 than an upper end42 of the drive axle 36.

In an inwardly canted position, shown in FIGS. 6 and 12, the drive axle36 may be oriented or tilted such that the axis of rotation is angledinwardly whereby the lower end 40 of the drive axle 36 is disposedfurther inwardly from the vehicle treatment area 12 than an upper end 42of the drive axle 36.

With reference to FIGS. 10-13, the drive axle 36 may be pivoted about apivot point 66 disposed at an upper end by pivoting the motor assembly38 and axle 36 with respect to the frame 16. The pivoting may beaccomplished by an actuator 43, such as a hydraulic cylinder, which maypush or pull on a link 67 that is coupled to the axle 36 and motor 38. Avariety of other suitable actuators may be employed. The drive axle 36may also be pivoted in a variety of other suitable ways. The actuator 43may be referred to as a multi-position actuator, two-position actuator,three-position actuator, or the like. The actuator 43 may include twohydraulic units or pistons, with one or the other being actuated tocause an inward or outward pivoted position of the side brushes 22, 24.As shown throughout the Figures, the actuator 43 may be a three-positionactuator, but it will be appreciated that other actuators may also beused.

According to another aspect, a novel connection of the drive axle 36 tothe hub portion 32 is disclosed. Current vehicle wash brushes typicallyinclude a hub portion 32 with a hollow interior that can receive a driveaxle 36 therethrough. A plurality of intermediate spider portionsgenerally extend between and connect the hub portion 32 to the driveaxle 36 to secure and connect them so the hub portion 32 rotates withthe drive axle 36 to rotate the attached wash media elements 34. Thesedrive axle/hub portion combinations are very heavy and also expensivedue to the amount of material required for a full axle and spiderportions. According to an aspect, the hub portion 32 can be formed witha plurality of internal threads that can receive a stub hub in threadedengagement to effect securement and coupling of these structures withthe stub hub having corresponding threads. To ensure permanentsecurement an adhesive such as an aerospace grade adhesive can beemployed on the threads of the hub and stub. Additionally, a metal pincan also be employed through the hub portion and the stub hub forfurther securement. This stub thread arrangement eliminates the need fora full drive axle 36 as well as the intermediate spiders, which providessignificant weight, cost, and material savings. In other words, the stubhub terminates at the bottom of the threads and is connected to the hub32 without spiders. It will be appreciated that a variety of othersuitable hub arrangements may be employed.

As will be appreciated, each side brush 22, 24, may be carried on theframe 16 by a carrier support portion 46, which may also be referred toas a head unit or carrier 46, as the frame 16 is linearly translatedforwardly and rearwardly over the top of the vehicle 14 such that theside brushes 22, 24 may travel along and engage the side of eachvehicle. The carrier 46 may translate laterally inward and outward alongthe rails of the frame 16 to position the side brushes 22, 24 at theappropriate lateral location depending on the width of the vehicle to betreated and a particular canted or pivoted position of the side brushes22, 24.

For example, when the side brushes 22, 24 are canted inwardly, thecarrier 46 may be moved laterally outward, and when the side brushes 22,24 are canted outwardly, the carrier 46 may be translated laterallyinward. When the side brushes 22, 24 are oriented vertically, thecarrier 46 may be disposed laterally between its positions thatcorrespond to the inwardly or outwardly canted positions. FIGS. 4-7illustrate the different lateral positions of the carrier 46 dependingon the pivoted position of the side brushes. FIGS. 4 and 5 show the sidebrushes 22, 24 in a nominal position. FIG. 6 shows the carrier 46 movedlaterally outward when the side brushes 22, 24 are pivoted inwardly.FIG. 7 shows the carrier 46 moved laterally inward when the side brushes22, 24 are pivoted outwardly.

As will be understood, from a nominal position in which the side brushes22, 24 are oriented vertically and in contact with the outermost portionof the vehicle 14, if the brushes were canted outwardly, the brushes 22,24 would move away from the vehicle 14, and therefore moving the carrier46 inward brings the side brushes 22, 24 back into contact with the sideof the vehicle 14. Similarly, if the brushes 22, 24 were cantedinwardly, the brushes 22, 24 can impact the vehicle if the carrier 46does not shift laterally outward.

As the side brushes 22, 24, travel along the side of the vehicle 14 theymay be oriented in either the neutral or inwardly/outwardly cantedpositions. According to an aspect, in a first pass of the frame 16 overthe vehicle, the side brushes 22, 24 may be oriented in the neutralposition in order to effectively clean generally vertical side surfacesof the vehicle 14. According to still another aspect, in a second passof the frame 16 over the vehicle, the side brushes 22, 24 may bedisposed in an outwardly canted position, to effectively engage andclean upper portions of the vehicle sides, such as windows. According toan aspect, the side brushes 22, 24 may be oriented in the inwardlycanted position during a further pass of the frame 16 over a vehiclesuch that a lower portion of each of the side brushes 22, 24 can engagea lower portion of the vehicle sides, such as rocker panels. The brushes22, 24 are shown throughout the Figures in different canted positionsfor treating different segments of the vehicle. In many Figures, thebrushes 22, 24 are shown not to be in contact with the vehicle, butthese illustrations are for clarity, and it will be appreciated that toclean the surfaces of the vehicle 14 that the brushes 22, 24 wouldindeed be in contact with the surfaces of the vehicle.

Thus, the control system 30 may position the side brushes 22, 24 indifferent positions with respect to vehicle sides such that withseparate passes of the frame 16 over the vehicle 14, the side brushes22, 24 may clean and engage different portions of a vehicle side surfaceduring the process. It will be appreciated that the control system 30may orient the side brushes 22, 24 at different angles within eachposition and particularly the outwardly canted positions. For example,the angle of the outward cant may be larger when the side brush 22 or 24is engaging the front portion of the vehicle relative to the angle ofthe outward cant when the side brush 22 or 24 is engaging the windowportion of the vehicle. Obviously, the amount of pivot or canting candepend on the vehicle profile. It will further be appreciated that theorder of each of those positions for the various passes can vary. Forexample, the inwardly canted pass, the outwardly canted pass, or theneutral pass may be performed first, second, or third, and may berepeated. In another aspect, the pivot or canting may change during eachpass depending on the vehicle segment being treated.

According to still another aspect, when the carrier support portions 46for the side brushes 22, 24 reach the rear of the vehicle, the carriersupport portions 46 may translate the side brushes 22, 24 inwardly alongthe frame 16 to traverse the rear surfaces of the vehicle 14. The samedrive mechanism that shifts the carrier 46 when the brushes 22, 24 arecanted may be employed to move the carrier 45 along the rear surface ofthe vehicle 14. The side brushes 22, 24 may be oriented verticallyduring this pass along the rear surface. When traversing the rearsurface of the vehicle, the side brushes 22, 24 can be tilted into twopositions. In one pass of the rear vehicle surface, the drive axle 36may be oriented in a first position whereby it is generally verticalsuch that the side brushes are also generally vertical. In a second passof the rear vehicle surface, the side brushes 22, 24 may be orientedgenerally outwardly in order to effectively clean a rear vehicle windowof the SUV. To achieve this canted position, the frame 16 may be pivotedrelative to the rail system 18. To the extent, the control system 30senses that the vehicle in the vehicle treatment area 12 is a truck orvehicle, the side brushes may only be oriented in a vertical positiononly for a single pass. It will also be appreciated that according toanother aspect, the control system 30 may be configured such that onlyone side brush 22, 24 traverses the rear portion of the vehicle 14 toeffect cleaning.

According to another aspect, the side brushes 22, 24 may also traversethe front surface of a vehicle. However, because most front vehiclesurfaces are generally vertical, only a single pass of one or both ofthe brushes 22, 24 in a generally vertical orientation may be necessary.It will additionally be appreciated that the magnitude of the angles andpositions of the brushes along the front, back and side surfaces canvary depending upon the type of vehicle sensed in the vehicle treatmentarea, i.e., vehicle, truck or SUV.

In another aspect, the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle 14 may betreated by the top brush 20, and the side brushes 22, 24 may remain inlaterally outer positions.

The side brushes 22, 24 may have a generally constant diameter, takinginto account the lengths of the wash media 34. Put another way, the hub32 or axle 36 may have a generally constant diameter, and the wash media34 may have a generally constant length. In this approach, when thebrushes 22, 24 are rotated about their axis and the wash media 34 extendoutwardly in response to the rotational forces, the profile of thebrushes 22, 24 will have a generally constant diameter. The ability ofthe brushes 22, 24 to tilt between the neutral position relative to thecanted positions thereby allows the brushes 22, 24 to contact thevarying surface contours of the vehicle. Prior side brushes, such asthose shown in FIG. 3, have included upper and/or lower portions withlarger or contoured shapes relative to the lower portion to account forthe side glass or windows of the vehicle. But these prior brushes wouldtherefore have a different surface speed per minute (SFPM) at the largerportions relative to the smaller portions for a given rotational speed.Accordingly, this could result in increased noise due to the increasedSFPM. Reducing the SFPM of the larger portion to reduce the noise wouldresult in an SFPM of the lower portion that is lower than desired. Bycanting the side brushes 22, 24 with a generally constant diameter, theSFPM may be kept generally consistent for a given rotational speed.

It will be appreciated that the brushes 22, 24 may still have a varyingdiameter in some cases. For example, as shown in the Figures, theuppermost portion of the brushes 22, 24 has a slightly larger diameterthan the remainder of the brush. The slightly larger diameter does notsubstantially alter the SFPM of the brush, and the ability of thebrushes 22, 24 to be canted outwardly allows for the increase indiameter to be limited, unlike the prior art brushes that remainedvertical and had to account for various vehicle geometries.

The side brushes 22, 24 may be controllable by the control system 30 inresponse to mapping the vehicle exterior and determining the vehiclegeometry. The control system 30 can therefore determine when to pivot orcant the side brushes 22, 24 and when to position the side brushes 22,24 vertically based on a position of the side brushes 22, 24 relative tothe vehicle 14. For example, at a front portion of the vehicle sidesurface, the brushes may be oriented vertically. At a middle portion,such as the area where the windows are located, the brushes 22, 24 maybe canted, and at a rear portion after passing the windows, the sidebrushes 22, 24 may be oriented vertically again. However, the sidebrushes 22, 24 may also remain in one of the neutral or canted positionsthroughout the length of the pass, and multiple passes may be made tocontact multiple surfaces of the vehicle. It will be appreciated thatthere are various combinations of pivoting and numbers of passes thatmay be employed for different vehicle shapes.

In one aspect, even when multiple passes are made as described above,the side brushes 22, 24 may be oriented vertically during the cantedpass in areas where canting is not necessary, such as the front andrear. Alternatively, the canted pass may be limited to the area wherecanting is necessary.

During operation of the side brushes 22, 24, the control system 30 mayreceive position feedback from the side brushes 22, 24 to determine whento cant the brushes 22, 24 and when to shift the brushes 22, 24 based onthe detected vehicle contour. The control system 30 can thereforeaccurately position the side brushes 22, 24 to provide an optimalwashing operation, and can achieve high washing accuracy withoutrequiring more complicated torque control feedback.

The angles of the pivoting and canting may vary depending on the vehiclegeometry. The inward canting may be at a different angle that the angleused for the outward canting, or the angle of canting may vary during apass or between passes.

The canting angles, for both the inward canting and outward canting maybe preset based on detected generic vehicle body type, or may beadjusted based on the body shape of the specific vehicle. For example,if a sedan is detected, the outward cant angle may be greater than if aSUV is detected. Alternatively, the canting angles may be preset andapplied regardless of the vehicle body type, with a cant angle selectedthat is effective for a range of window angles and rocker areas.

With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the canting angle of the outwardlycanted orientation may also be self-adjusted based on the shape of thevehicle being treated, and without a specific controlled angle. Theself-adjusted outwardly canted position may be achieved in response toshifting the carrier 46 laterally inward along the rails of the frame16. For example, the carrier 46 maybe moved inwardly over the top of thevehicle 14, and the brush 22, 24 may contact the side of the vehicle 14,causing the brush 22, 24 to pivot relative to the carrier 46. In thisapproach, the actuator 43 may be set to an inactive state, in which thepistons of the actuator may freely move within their housing. Putanother way, the brushes 22, 24 may be free to swing relative to theirpivot point 66 at the carrier 46. FIGS. 14 and 15 show two differentoutwardly canted positions based on different types and shapes of thevehicle 14 being treated. FIG. 15 is pivoted more than FIG. 14. Theactuator 43 is illustrated as being at 0 psi.

In yet another aspect, as shown in FIG. 16, the outwardly cantedorientation may be used at a beginning and/or ending stage of thewashing process, in which the brushes 22, 24 are outwardly canted priorto the vehicle 14 entering the vehicle treatment area 12 or aftertreatment is concluded. In this approach, the brushes 22, 24 are“opened” to increase the drive through visibility of the wash system 10.Once the vehicle is in position to be washed, the brushes 22, 24 may beadjusted to one of the other orientations and positioned into engagementwith the vehicle 14 as described above. When the treatment is complete,the brushes 22, 24 may be canted outwardly as the vehicle 14 exits. Thisoutward canting may be performed with or without the carriers 46 beingmoved further outward.

In the above description, the vehicle 14 remained stationary within thevehicle treatment area 12. However, it will be appreciated that theabove described movement and pivoting of the side brushes 22, 24relative to the vehicle body 14 may still occur even if the vehicle 14is being conveyed. The side brushes 22, 24 may still be controlled to bepivoted based on the relative movement between the vehicle 14 and thebrushes 22, 24 that defines the passes.

As described above, the side brushes 22, 24 may be pivoted or canted atdifferent vehicle segments to avoid interference with vehicle componentssuch as antennas or side mirrors. FIGS. 17-19 illustrate differentvehicle types and illustrate different locations of the antenna. Forexample, the antenna may be located at the front or the rear of thevehicle 14, and is typically located inboard from the outer surface ofthe vehicle 14. As shown in FIG. 17, the antenna may extend upward intoan area may interfere with the side brushes 22, 24 when the side brushesare angled to correspond to the side glass of the vehicle 14.

Accordingly, in yet another aspect, the control system 30 may map thevehicle contour, and determine areas where canting may be undesirable toreduce instances of damage to vehicle components that project outwardlyfrom the vehicle surface, such as a traditional vehicle antenna. Vehicleantennas may be positioned at different locations of the vehicle, suchas the mid-front fender area, the rear front fender area, or themid-rear quarter panel. While antennas may typically be located at theseareas, antennas may also be located at other areas of the vehicle. As aresult of the vehicle mapping, the control system 30 may determine aprobable location of the antenna. The probable location of the antennamay be determined by measuring the top profile of the vehicle.

After determining the probable location of the antenna, the controlsystem 30 may control the side brush 22 or 24 at the side correspondingto the antenna to be orientated vertically. As shown in FIG. 20, sidebrush 22 is oriented vertically, avoiding interference with the vehicleantenna, while side brush 24 is outwardly canted to correspond to theangle of the side glass. The side brush 22 or 24 at the opposite side ofthe vehicle antenna may be oriented vertically or canted, as there is noantenna on this side to avoid.

With reference to FIGS. 21 and 22, the side brush 22 or 24 may travelalong the front of the vehicle while being oriented vertically, andallowing the brush 22 or 24 to pass beyond the location of the antenna.After the brush 22 or 24 has cleared the antenna, the brush 22 or 24 maybe canted outwardly and shifted inwardly to contact the angled windowportion. The side brush 22/24 may also be outwardly canted while washingthe front of the vehicle, and may then shift to be oriented verticallyat the location of the antenna, and then return to a canted orientation.Thus, the canted orientation of the side brushes 22, 24 may beinterrupted in the region of the antenna, and then returned to thecanted orientation after clearing the antenna.

FIGS. 21 and 22 illustrate both side brushes 22 and 24 being vertical inthe front and rear segments of the vehicle 14, even though the antennais located on just one side. It will be appreciated that the side brush24 shown in FIGS. 21 and 22 could be canted during an entire passbecause there is no risk of interference with the antenna at the upperside of the Figures. Similarly, the side brush 22, while shown verticalat the front and rear portions and canted in the side glass portion, mayremain vertical during the entire pass, or may remain canted afterclearing the antenna in FIG. 21. In FIG. 22, the side brush 22 may becanted while treating the front portion and side glass portion, and maythen shift to a vertical orientation prior to reaching the antenna. Thebrushes 22, 24 may also be inwardly canted during an entire pass totreat the lower portion or rocker portion.

While the above approach has been described in relation to the vehicleantenna, other projecting structures may also be avoided in a similarmanner. For example, the control system 30 may be configured to detectside mirrors or ornamentation, and the side brushes 22, 24 may beoriented differently in the area of these structures, or moved laterallyaway from the vehicle 14 to avoid damaging these structures, if desired.

With reference to FIG. 23, in the case of the side mirrors, damage mayoccur when the rigid hub portion 32 of the side brushes 22, 24 comesinto contact with the side mirror extending from the vehicle body.Typically, the side mirrors will not be damaged by the wash media 34.Indeed, it is desirable for the wash media to 34 to contact the sidemirrors in order to clean them. However, due to the side mirrorsextending outwardly from the vehicle body, when the wash media 34 is ina position to reach the vehicle body, the rigid hub 32 becomes closer tothe side mirror. In some cases, when the wash media 34 is positionedclose enough to the side of the vehicle 14, the rigid hub 32 maylaterally overlap the side mirrors. FIG. 23 illustrates the side brushes22, 24 in a vertical orientation, and illustrates the hubs 32 being inclose proximity to the side mirrors.

Thus, in one aspect, and with reference to FIG. 24, the side brushes 22,24 may be canted inwardly or outwardly in the area of the side mirrors,thereby moving the rigid hub portion 32 further away from the sidemirrors while the side brushes 22, 24 may still maintain contact withthe upper or lower portion of the vehicle body. In one aspect, it may bepreferable to pivot the brushes 22, 24 inwardly, as shown in FIG. 24,and shift the carrier 46 outwardly, as described above for the inwardlycanted positioning of the brushes 22, 24, in the areas of the sidemirrors. In this position, the brushes 22, 24 may be used to clean thelower rocker area of the vehicle 14. However, it will be appreciatedthat pivoting the brushes 22, 24 outwardly and shifting the carriers 46inwardly may still provide additional clearance from the side mirrors.In this position, the upper side glass area of the vehicle 14 may becleaned while providing clearance from the side mirrors.

With reference to FIGS. 25 and 26, the passes of the side brushes 22, 24along the side of the vehicle 14 can therefore be modified to accountfor different portions of the vehicle structure where avoidance isdesired. For example, in one pass rearwardly along the side of thevehicle, shown in FIG. 25, the brushes 22, 24 may be canted inwardly,with the lower portion inboard relative to the upper portion. In thisapproach, the bottom half of the vehicle 14 may still be contacted bythe side brushes 22, 24 during this pass. The side mirrors and theantenna may be avoided during this pass. While not explicitly shown inFIG. 25, the side brushes 22, 24 may also be oriented vertically or maybe outwardly canted at a front or rear portion of the vehicle 14 wherethe side mirrors are not present. As described above, it may also bepreferable to position the side brushes 22, 24 vertically in an area ofan antenna (not shown in FIG. 25).

On a subsequent pass in a forward direction, as shown in FIG. 26, theside brushes 22, 24 may be oriented vertically, contacting the rearportion of the vehicle. The brushes 22, 24 may then be canted outwardly,with the upper portion inward relative to the lower portion, such thatthe angled window portion of the vehicle 14 is cleaned. In this cantedposition, the carrier 46 may also be shifted inwardly. Upon reaching thelocation of the side mirrors, the side brushes 22, 24 may then betranslated laterally outward, via the carriers 46, away from the sidemirrors when the brushes 22, 24 approach the location of the mirrors.Alternatively, the brushes 22, 24 may be pivoted to the inwardly cantedposition at the location of the side mirrors and the carrier 46 mayshift outward, and upon clearing the side mirrors, the brushes 22, 24may pivot back to a vertical or outwardly canted orientation to treatthe front portion of the vehicle 14.

It will be appreciated that multiple passes of the side brushes 22, 24may be performed, with the side brushes 22, 24 pivoted and/or shifted toavoid the side mirrors and/or antenna and then pivoted and/or shifted totreat the remainder of the vehicle 14 when the potential interferencehas been cleared. For example, after clearing the side mirrors in FIG.25, the brushes 22, 24 may pivot back to vertical for the remainder ofthe pass. Subsequently, on the return pass, the side brushes 22, 24 maybe canted outwardly at the rear portion of the vehicle (if no antenna ispresent) and may remain in this canted position until being movedlaterally outward at the location of the side mirrors. Othercombinations of passes and pivoted/canted positions of the side brushesmay also be used.

Note that not all of the activities described above in the generaldescription or the examples are required, that a portion of a specificactivity may not be required, and that one or more further activitiesmay be performed in addition to those described. Still further, theorders in which activities are listed are not necessarily the order inwhich they are performed.

The specification and illustrations of the embodiments described hereinare intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of thevarious embodiments. The specification and illustrations are notintended to serve as an exhaustive and comprehensive description of allof the elements and features of apparatus and systems that use thestructures or methods described herein. Many other embodiments may beapparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the disclosure.Other embodiments may be used and derived from the disclosure, such thata structural substitution, logical substitution, or another change maybe made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Accordingly,the disclosure is to be regarded as illustrative rather thanrestrictive.

Certain features are, for clarity, described herein in the context ofseparate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a singleembodiment. Conversely, various features that are, for brevity,described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be providedseparately or in any sub combination. Further, reference to valuesstated in ranges includes each and every value within that range.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to specific embodiments. However, thebenefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any feature(s) that maycause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeature of any or all the claims.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover any andall such modifications, enhancements, and other embodiments that fallwithin the scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximum extentallowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to be determinedby the broadest permissible interpretation of the following claims andtheir equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited by theforegoing detailed description.

Although only a few exemplary embodiments have been described in detailabove, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that manymodifications are possible in the exemplary embodiments withoutmaterially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of theembodiments of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all suchmodifications are intended to be included within the scope of theembodiments of the present disclosure as defined in the followingclaims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to coverthe structures described herein as performing the recited function andnot only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle washing system, comprising: a sidebrush disposed adjacent a vehicle treatment area, the vehicle treatmentarea having a vertical height, a longitudinal length, and a lateralwidth and configured to receive a vehicle to be washed, the side brushdefining a central axis about which the side brush rotates, the centralaxis extending between a top end and a bottom end of the side brush; abrush shaft extending along the central axis and supporting the sidebrush, wherein the orientation of the brush shaft controls theorientation of the side brush; the brush shaft being pivotable betweenat least two positions including a first position, wherein the brushshaft is oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal length of thevehicle treatment area, and a second position, wherein the brush shaftis oriented at an oblique angle relative to the first position; acontrol system in communication with the brush shaft to effect movementthereof between the first position and the second position in responseto a configuration of the vehicle; wherein the configuration of thevehicle includes a side mirror location; wherein the brush shaft is inthe second position at the side mirror location.
 2. The system of claim1 further comprising: a frame disposed adjacent the vehicle treatmentarea and configured for supporting vehicle treatment components; and theside brush being pivotally coupled to the frame in a position to engagea vehicle in the vehicle treatment area.
 3. The system of claim 2,wherein the frame is supported by an overhead rail system, and the frameis movable in a longitudinal direction relative to the rail system. 4.The system of claim 2, further comprising: a carrier portion coupled tothe frame and the side brush, wherein the carrier portion istranslatable laterally relative to the frame and the frame istranslatable longitudinally relative to the vehicle treatment area,wherein the carrier portion translates longitudinally along with theframe and the side brush translates laterally along with the carrierportion.
 5. The system of claim 2, wherein the system includes vehiclesensors in communication with the controller, the sensors configured todetect a configuration of the vehicle body, wherein the sensors areattached to the frame and moveable with the frame or wherein the sensorsare fixed relative to the vehicle treatment area.
 6. The system of claim1, wherein, in the first position, a pivot point of the side brush ispositioned at a first lateral location and, in the second position, thepivot point is positioned at a second lateral location that is differentthan the first lateral location.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein, theside brush includes a first longitudinal location at a front segment ofthe vehicle, a second longitudinal location at an intermediate segmentof the vehicle, and a third longitudinal location at a rear segment ofthe vehicle.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the side mirror locationis at the second longitudinal location, and the side brush is in thesecond position at the second longitudinal location.
 9. The system ofclaim 1, wherein in the second position a bottom of the side brush isdisposed inward relative to a top of the side brush.
 10. The system ofclaim 9, further comprising a third position of the side brush in whichthe bottom of the side brush is disposed outward relative to the top ofthe side brush.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the side brush is inthe third position at an antenna location of the vehicle configuration.12. The system of claim 1, further comprising feedback sensors incommunication with the control system, wherein the feedback sensorsdetect a position of the brush relative to the vehicle.
 13. The systemof claim 1, wherein the side brush includes a plurality of media washelements extending radially outward from the brush shaft, wherein whenthe plurality of media wash elements are fully extended radially outwardthe media wash elements define an outer diameter of the side brush. 14.The system of claim 13, wherein the outer diameter of the side brush isgenerally constant along a majority of its length.
 15. A method fortreating a vehicle body in a vehicle washing system, the methodcomprising: providing a vehicle having a vehicle body within a vehicletreatment area of a vehicle washing system, wherein the vehicletreatment area has a vertical height, a longitudinal length, and alateral width, and wherein the vehicle includes side mirrors disposed ata side mirror location of the vehicle; positioning a side brush in afirst orientation vertically within the vehicle treatment area, whereinthe side brush rotates about a central shaft thereof that is supportedby an overhead frame; contacting a vertically oriented portion of thevehicle body with the side brush when the side brush is in the firstorientation; pivoting the side brush into a second orientation about apivot point disposed at a top portion of the side brush, and orientingthe side brush at an oblique angle relative to the vertical axis;contacting an upper or lower portion of the vehicle body with the sidebrush when the side brush is in the second orientation; detecting anexterior configuration of the vehicle and detecting the side mirrorlocation; controlling the position of the side brush in either the firstposition or the second position in response to a detected exteriorconfiguration of the vehicle; positioning the side brush in the secondorientation at the side mirror location.
 16. The method of claim 15,further comprising translating the side brush longitudinally along aside portion of the vehicle body.
 17. The method of claim 16, whereinthe side brush is in the first orientation during the translating of theside brush.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the side brush is in thesecond orientation during the translating of the side brush.
 19. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the side brush moves between the firstorientation and the second orientation during the translating.
 20. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the side brush translates along the side ofthe vehicle during a first pass, and the side brush is in the secondorientation during the first pass.
 21. The method of claim 20, whereinthe side brush translates along the side of the vehicle during a secondpass, and the side brush is in the first orientation during at least aportion of the second pass.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the sidebrush shift laterally outward at the side mirror location during thesecond pass.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the side brush includesa third orientation, wherein the side brush is pivoted inwardly in thesecond orientation and pivoted outwardly in the third orientation,wherein the side brush is in the first orientation during a firstportion of the second pass and the side brush is in the thirdorientation during a second portion of the second pass.
 24. The methodof claim 15, further comprising translating the side brush laterallyalong a front or rear portion of the vehicle body.
 25. The method ofclaim 24, wherein the side brush is in the first orientation during thetranslating of the side brush.
 26. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising detecting an antenna location, and positioning the side brushin the first orientation at the antenna location.
 27. The method ofclaim 26, further comprising determining, via a controller, verticalportions of the vehicle and angled portions of the vehicle, andcontrolling the orientation of the side brush depending on the positionof the side brush relative to the vertical portions and angled portions.28. The method of claim 15, further comprising detecting, via sensors incommunication with a controller, a vehicle body configuration.
 29. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the translating the side brushlongitudinally along a side portion of the vehicle body includestranslating the side brush in a first longitudinal direction with theside brush in the second orientation and translating the side brush in asecond longitudinal direction that is opposite the first longitudinaldirection with the side brush in the first orientation.
 30. The methodof claim 15, further comprising receiving, at a controller, feedbackfrom the side brush and adjusting the position and/or orientation of theside brush relative to the vehicle in response to receiving thefeedback.
 31. A vehicle washing system, comprising: a side brushdisposed adjacent a vehicle treatment area, the vehicle treatment areahaving a vertical height, a longitudinal length, and a lateral width andconfigured to receive a vehicle to be washed, the side brush defining acentral axis about which the side brush rotates, the central axisextending between a top end and a bottom end of the side brush; the sidebrush being pivotable between at least two positions including a firstposition, wherein the side brush is oriented generally vertically, and asecond position, wherein the side brush is pivoted relative to the firstposition such that the top end is disposed laterally outward relative tothe bottom end; a control system in communication with the side brush toeffect movement thereof between the first position and the secondposition in response to a configuration of the vehicle; wherein the sidebrush is in the second position at a detected side mirror location.